With the semester in full swing and finals approaching, students are beginning to think about living arrangements for the fall semester.
Upperclassmen must make the decision to either live off or on campus. With on-campus living requirements for freshmen and sophomores, not all students have the option of living off-campus. Yet juniors and seniors must research and weigh the pros and cons of housing options.
For those who choose to live on campus, the Room Draw period ends this week. On Wed. March 24, students met in the Audubon Room in the Danna Student Center to confirm their room assignments. On May 1, applicants will receive confirmation of the final assignments.
The table on page five is a sample of living expenses comparing living off-campus versus on-campus. The on-campus sample shows the costs of a Carrollton Hall apartment. The apartment consists of single rooms connected to a common living area, kitchen and bathroom. The Carrolton Hall option was chosen for the sample because its main occupants are upperclassmen with the option to live on or off-campus. A meal plan is included because it is required for all on-campus residents.
The off-campus option is a single studio apartment located on St. Charles Avenue. This apartment has similar amenities to Carrollton Hall: a living area, kitchen and bathroom. The apartment offers a nine-month lease, which is the same number of months occupants can spend living on-campus.
Eli Nasser, international business sophomore, said that, if he had the option to live off-campus, he would not.
“I just got the opportunity to be a R.A. (residential assistant) so I get a single and my room and board are paid for,” he said.
He added that he is not looking forward to when his friends, who are also going to be his residents, force him into an “awkward situation.”
Sam Senter, psychology freshman and current Buddig resident, will also work as a R.A. next year.
“It is convenient,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about transportation or weather, being late if traffic is bad or anything like that. A lot of people complain about Buddig. I like Buddig. I think the rooms are decent and a good size. I think if you have a good roommate it is not a problem.”
Upperclassmen choosing to live off campus shared the pros and cons of their decisions.
“In the beginning, it (living off-campus) definitely is an expense,” said Kelsey Van Bree, mass communication junior.
These costs can include rent, utilities, furniture, food and possible transportation. However, she added, “Money wise, if you plan right, it is always cheaper to live off-campus.”
Betsy Young, visual arts sophomore, agreed.
“I think it will be less expensive to live off campus because I won’t have to have a meal plan because I never use it because I am an art major and I am never on the main campus for that dining service,” she said. “It’s terrible.”
Huntleigh Gilbard, political science sophomore, said he wants to live off campus because there is more freedom. Gilbard said he will not have to worry about residential rules.
“Originally, I moved off because I did not want to live on campus. I wanted to have my own place and having a more independent lifestyle,” Van Bree said.
Van Bree lives in a house with four roommates in the Uptown area within walking distance of campus. She pays around $500 per month for rent and about $100 per month for utilities.
“The biggest pro (to living off-campus) is you get to take care of yourself in regards to cooking, cleaning, taking care of your house and living with your roommates,” she said.
She added, however, that she doesn’t get to see her friends as much as when she lived on campus.
“The downside is you lose touch with people for sure,” she said. “Moving off, I’ve lost touch with friends I’ve seen more often on campus. I miss the wide variety of friends. As opposed to freshman year, there were so many friends and acquaintances you just had but now you don’t hang out with. You really just don’t see anyone anymore.”
Andrew Austermann, finance junior, said he gets to keep connected with friends by staying on campus.
“I’ve been able to stay close with a bunch of my friends because of it,” he said. “If we ever want to hang out or anything, it is just a walk across the quad. I’ve never had any problems with it.”
Austermann will be living in a Carrollton apartment next year. He said living on campus “is more convenient and I stay more involved on campus if I am living here.”
Abbey Brandon can be reached at
